


The ones who conquered her heart

by orphan_account



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Titans, Cheating, Child Abuse, F/F, Heavy Angst, Homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-25 11:23:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14976152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "Black, mesmerizing hair... Raven, hypnotizing, calmed and deep eyes... Smooth, pale and beautiful skin... Why do I keep falling for people with those characteristics?"





	1. Pieck

A seven year old Annie Leonhart sat alone on a bench of a lonely park as she tried hard not to cry. She was fed up with the stupid training that she was going through because of her father, she was tired of the beatings she had to suffer from every single day and she was tired of having to endure it and act as if everything was okay.

“Hey, are you okay?” Annie snapped back to reality, and saw that in front of her there was a girl who was sitting on the floor just like a dog would. Her hair was messy, black and long, her eyes were deep and raven, things which made the girl look as if she was completely calmed, and her skin was pale.

“Uhh… Yeah. Why are you sitting down like a dog?” The girl giggled, and Annie’s eyes widened when she heard the soothing sound.

“My parents say that I’m like an animal and they make me walk like an animal, on all fours… But that isn’t important. Are you sure you are okay? You’ve been crying for a while.” As the girl spoke, she crawled towards Annie and got closer until she placed her small hands over the blondes legs. Normally, Annie would have done something like kicking or insulting the girl for touching but she remained quiet as she looked at the girl. “What’s your name?” She asked after looking at Annie’s icy blue eyes for a while.

“Annie. Annie Leonhart… What’s yours?” She replied as she swallowed.

“Oh, that’s a pretty name. My name is Pieck, but I don’t have surname since my parent’s say that I’m not worth enough for one.” Annie’s eyes narrowed as she tried to process the information —Who on Earth treats their daughter as if she was an animal?— she thought; whereas Pieck was smiling.

“But that’s not true… No one should be treated like an animal, come on, get up.” Pieck’s eyes widened when she heard Annie defending her, and when the blonde touched her hands and pushed upwards gently, she felt shocked. She got up with a bit of difficulty and sat on the bench almost immediately, fearing that she would fall to the ground if she stood up more time. “Why are you here?” Annie asked as she turned around to face Pieck.

“I’ll answer you if you answer the question I did before.” Pieck said. She licked her lips slowly and looked at Annie with widened eyes. She was actually surprised that someone was talking to her, that someone had treated her as an equal.

“W-well… I may be not be that okay. My father has been training me for a lot of years and I’m tired of the beatings and the sore feeling that conquers my body after a training session… Now, answer me.” Annie was whispering as if she was telling Pieck one of her most precious secrets or maybe because she just liked the intimate atmosphere that it created.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I’m here because I made a getaway from home, no one cares if I disappear though.” What unsettled Annie the most was the calmed voice of Pieck as she talked and the relaxed facial expression, and the cute and small smile she wore, that Pieck had.

“Don’t say stuff like that.” Annie said as she stood up in the bench. Pieck looked up and smiled softly, covering her mouth as she giggled without stop. Annie looked at her quite confused and she tilted her head. “What are you laughing at?” She asked as she touched her nape.

“You’re weird…” She said as she cleaned the tears that escaped from her eyes. “Can I be your friend?” Pieck asked with hope and eagerness dripping from her voice.

“Of course, but only if I can be yours.” Annie said teasingly. Pieck nodded effusively as she smiled. That was her first friend and she wanted to cherish Annie.

 

* * *

 

“Pieck? What’s wrong?” Annie said as she walked through some bushes with a bit of difficulty. They were in the same park they had met eight years ago, though that time the roles were reversed since it was Annie who was asking what was happening to a crying Pieck.

“A-Ann.” Pieck muttered as she sob. She didn’t even try to clean the tears since they would just keep appearing and falling. “Leave me alone.” She begged as she pressed her head against her knees.

“No.” Annie replied as she finally got out of the bushes. She got closer to Pieck, who was sitting down the same bench where they had met years before, and knelt down. “Pieck, look at me.” She said as she touched the soft skin of Pieck’s hands. The other girl did as she was told. “There you are.” Annie said as she smiled.

“What happened to your face, Ann?” Pieck asked terrorized by Annie’s purple and swollen left eye and by the nasty cut that separated her lower lip.

“That’s unimportant. Why are you crying?” She asked as she pressed softly her right hand to Pieck’s left cheek so as to clean some tears with her thumb.

“Because my father saw how I kissed you three days ago and now we’re moving to Germany! I’ll be gone tomorrow.” Pieck said. At the end of her sentence, a violent sob escaped from her lips. Annie flinched as her eyes widened.

She couldn’t believe that they were going to take Pieck away, the same girl who they had treated terribly throughout the years, just because she was kissing another girl. Annie grimaced, but her expression softened as she remembered their first kiss. Slow, gentle and passionate, just like Pieck was. It had been the best experience of all her life, after the fact that soon afterwards Pieck had asked her to be her girlfriend. They had known each other for eight years and they had dated for one, and suddenly Pieck was going to disappear the following day.

“B-but…” Annie said with teary eyes as she got up. She refused to believe it. She refused to believe that the person who had been the light of her days throughout the tough years of never ending abuse was going to go away to another continent. She refused to admit that she was going to be alone.

“I’m so sorry, there’s nothing I can do… When I got home today the bags where already made.” She whispered as she covered her face with her hands.

Pieck, the girl who always went for her when classes ended and accompanied her to home, was going to move to another place.

Pieck, the girl who had taught her how to climb trees and rocks and made fun of her for being bad at it when she first tried, was going to move to another place.

Pieck, the girl who had cleaned so many of her wounds and treated tons of bruises with the most careful touch that I person could ever have, was going to move away.

“It’s my fault…” Annie whispered as she grabbed her hood and covered her head with it. If she hadn’t flirted with Pieck to begin with, maybe that would have never happened. If she hadn’t kissed Pieck in the first place, maybe they wouldn’t have to be apart. “We should break up,it will be the best thing to do.” She said as she felt those bitter words poisoning her whole mouth.

“You’re right… We do not have any way to communicate with each other, and we would be hurt and sad to know that our girlfriend is another continent…” Pieck bitterly, feeling a pang in her heart when she looked at Annie’s broken expression.

“We can always be best friends.” Annie said as she smiled, trying hard not to cry or scream then and there. That wouldn’t be right. What Pieck needed was support and not more bad stuff to add to the problems she already had.

“Yeah…” Pieck said as she got up. She hugged Annie as if the world was going to end if she didn’t hug her, and she buried her head on the neck of the blonde. She loved the sweet scent of blueberries, and she was going to miss it so much.

“I love you.” Annie murmured as she hugged back. Broken, that’s how she felt. Lost, that’s how she was going to be from the next day onwards.

“So do I, sunshine.” Pieck mumbled. She silently promised herself to come back once she had the chance. She needed to be with Annie, either as a friend or a lover, she wanted to be by her side, so she promised herself that no matter what she would go back to her.


	2. Mina

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love Mina so it hurt a lot when I wrote this. I don't even know why or from where I got the idea of writing her like this, but next time she appears in another of my stories, she'll be the Mina we all know.

Annie licked her lips as she knocked the door of her new classroom. She truly loathed to be a new student because her father decided to change her from one school to another whenever he pleased, but she could never express her thoughts because that would end up terribly. The teacher opened the door and smiled.

“Yo guys, this is your new classmate. Her name is Annie Leonhart, please treat her well.” The teacher, Hange Zoë, said before looking at Annie once more. 

Annie subtly swallowed. She couldn’t believe that Hange would be one of her teachers, especially when she, alongside her girlfriend Petra Ral, was one of the few people that knew about what was going on at her house. She had met Hange and Petra last summer at the hospital when she had to stay there because five of her ribs were broken just like the metacarpus of her left hand. They were the doctor assistants, so when they asked her what had happened, she told them everything. The beatings, the harassment, the homophobia she suffered from when her father discovered her relationship with Pieck thanks to a third party.

“So, who did Petra choose as the class representative?” Hange’s voice made Annie come back to reality. She wanted to roll her eyes and groan out of habit. She actually wasn’t bothered by Hange’s, nor Petra’s presence in her new school; in fact she was happy to have them around, but the coincidence was still overwhelming. A black haired girl who wore a red scarf stood up and did a strange salute, she brought her left hand behind her back whilst she placed her right fist over her heart.

“She chose me, Miss Zoë.” She softly said. Annie’s eyes widened when she heard that calmed, soothing voice, but she regained her composure in a matter of seconds. Annie looked at her new classmates, and her gaze stopped in a raven girl with two tiny ponytails which were casually laying over her shoulders. Said girl looked at her and smiled. Oh how sweet the smile was. Annie couldn’t avoid but to smile at her as well.

“Oh, just as expected! Congrats Mikasa.” Hange said as she placed her hands on her hips. Annie looked at the standing girl -Mikasa- who was nodding at the teacher. Before she sat down once again, the girl looked at her and smiled ever so slightly, thing that triggered Annie’s smile for the second time that day. “Annie, the table next to Mikasa is open so you can go there.” Hange said as she pointed the table next to the window.

The blonde girl walked towards the table, gaining the whole class’ attention as she sat down near Mikasa. She could hear the whispers. Whispers that made goosebumps cover every single inch of her skin alongside a blush.

“Did you see that, Eren? Mikasa smiled at Annie…” A blond guy with blue eyes said behind them. Annie looked at said boy and felt surprised by the shocking physical similarities they both shared.

“Someone’s walls have cracked up a bit, don’t you think Armin?” A brunette guy with turquoise muttered as he nodded to the blond. Mikasa turned around with a deadly glare and a deadpan expression.

“You two, shut it.” And with those four words, Eren and Armin keep quiet for the rest of the day. Annie had to admit it, she was impressed. Mikasa was silent yet deadly at the same time, characteristics that made her look somewhat elegant whenever she made a move. Annie’s attention fell back to the other raven girl, who was looking at her with a smile on her face.

Annie raised one hand and moved slightly her fingers as a greeting, a pitiful greeting but a greeting nonetheless, and she smiled awkwardly at the same time she shrugged a bit. The other girl covered her mouth with one of her hands, and how sweet she looked as she tried to keep the giggles to herself.

As the classes passed, she slowly began to think about Pieck once more. How many times had she thought about her during those three long years without her? Had she turned even more beautiful than how she was when they were both fifteen? Was she happy in Germany? Did she still remember Annie or had she forgotten throughout the days as she found new friends and a new person to give her love to? 

The blonde bit her lip and hid her eyes with both of her hands, elbows pressed against the woody table, tears coming back to her eyes, a familiar pang on her chest filling her body with pain once more. The pain of Pieck’s loss, the extreme fatigue she felt every single day and her father’s abuse were starting to take over her again when she noticed how someone was shaking her shoulder carefully.

She removed the hands from her eyes and saw the raven girl with the two ponytails in front of her, smiling at her. “Hey, are you okay?” Annie felt dizzy. She blink once, then twice and a third time. She felt as if she was living a dejá vù, which she was kind of living since she had never experienced that moment with the raven girl in front of her, but she had with Pieck since that’s how they met. Annie cleared her throat.

“Yeah, I just feel very tired… I didn’t sleep much.” She opted to lie. The last time she had told the truth, back in the hospital to Hange and Petra, she had felt so weak and vulnerable that she swore that she was never going to go through that again since she was a strong and independent woman.

“Oh! Pretty much like everyone then. Welcome to Shiganshina High School! I’m Mina Carolina.” The raven girl said with a lovely smile. Annie tilted her head, stopping to think about what grade she was in again.

“Sorry if this sounds rude, but may I know your age?” Annie asked as politely as she could. She remembered seeing how in her books there was a three in every cover, so that was off.

“Of course! I’m seventeen, pretty much like everyone else here.” She happily said. Annie was impressed by how easygoing Mina was, but she didn’t think about it for a long time. It made sense why she felt as if something was off, after all, she was eighteen and she should be in the last course of high school but instead she was going to the penultimate one.

“Okay… I’m eighteen. I guess my father put the wrong course and I have to do third grade once more… Or maybe it’s because of the differences between school systems.” At the beginning, she was talking to the other girl but then her voice grew quieter as she mumbled to herself.

“Hehe, don’t worry.” Annie’s eyes widened once more when she heard that pure giggling. “We’ll be here for you even if you end up in fourth grade which I doubt since our director doesn’t change those type of things. Nobody knows why though.” Annie looked at Mina, her jaw falling slightly as she thought about how she looked like an angel, just like Mikasa did.

“What the hell is with me and raven girls?” She thought to herself as she nodded. She shook her head and inhaled as deeply as she could. She wasn’t going to fall once more into the familiar abyss of love. Not when she had already tasted the despair that it hid beneath it’s appealing façade. Not when she still remembered the crack of her ribs when her father beat her once he heard about the affairs Annie was in with Pieck.

 

* * *

 

 

The first term passed almost in the blink of an eye, and it was in the party that the 104th class did the last day before holidays when Annie realised the familiar increase in her heartbeat whenever Mina was nearby.

It didn’t matter how many times Annie had gone to an isolated place in the school building, Mina ended up finding and asking if everything was okay. One day, she found Annie crying, sitting on the floor and hugging herself. That day, Mina Carolina learned about Annie Leonhart’s backstory and all the things she had to go through. That day, Annie was embraced with the earnest love she had felt in years. 

The growing crush took its time to show up though, but as Mina began to spend more and more time with her, it grew with more strength and with more speed than before. Their friendship began thanks to Mina’s easygoing personality and how she was always personality and how she was always willing to help, specially with maths, Annie whenever she needed.

“Annie.” She looked up from her phone and saw Mikasa looking at her with a soft smile. The blonde didn’t know it, but Mikasa had developed feelings for her just like she had for Mina. The blonde didn’t notice it, but Mikasa flinched every time Annie asked about Mina or something related to the other girl. 

“Hey Kasa.” Annie said as she took her backpack from the seat next to her. Mikasa sat on her seat and gave Annie the lemonade she had gotten for her, which was much appreciated since Annie loved that drink and was actually thirsty. “So tell me, what are your plans for this Christmas vacation?” Annie asked before taking a sip of the lemonade.

“Nothing much… Stand Eren and Armin going lovey-dovey together. What about you?” She asked as she looked at Annie with tender eyes and a soft smile. Mikasa couldn’t stop the feelings for Annie neither since they had grown non-stop since the day she first saw the blonde goddess entering the classroom. 

“I’ll try to take Mina on a date and confess to her.” She whispered as she looked around the classroom, hoping that nobody but Mikasa had heard that. She got a reputation to take care of after all. As she looked at her surroundings, she missed how Mikasa’s grip on the can of coke that she was holding grew stronger.

“Annie… I think you shouldn’t go for Mina…” She murmured as she lowered her head so that Annie couldn’t see the tears that filled her eyes. She was tired of hiding the fact that she had seen Mina flirt with Thomas Wagner, and kiss him, since the beginning of the year. Mikasa was sure that they were actually going out. 

“Why the fuck not?” Annie asked as her eyes widened. She felt slightly betrayed. Why was her best friend telling her not to try and date her crush, the one that could make her smile no matter what? Why was her best friend, the one who knew every single thing about her, implying to not go for her own happiness?

“I’ve seen her a lot with Thomas, if you know what I mean…” Mikasa said as she finally looked back at Annie, determination filling her veins. Annie stood up, yet Mikasa remained unimpressed.

“No, I don’t know what you mean… Mikasa, Mina is fucking gay. What you are trying to imply is just stupid.” She said as she scowled. Mikasa sarcastically laughed as she stood up as well. The height difference was something that didn’t help Mikasa, since Annie didn’t feel intimidated by it.

“If she breaks your heart because of Thomas, don’t you dare to try seeking comfort from me.” Mikasa knew she should have shut her mouth up but those words slipped from her mouth without any warning. She was already regretting it when she saw how Annie’s façade was tearing up.

“You know what, Ackerman?” Annie asked softly while she stared at Mikasa with wide, teary eyes. “Fuck you.” She murmured before turning around and fading into the crowd of teens that were gathered in the middle of the classroom. 

Annie got out of the room as fast as she could, feeling how the air was somewhat lacking in her lungs. She ran until she got to the rooftop, her’s and Mikasa’s hideout. 

She couldn’t believe it. Her father didn’t let her be happy. Pieck was in another fucking country. She barely had any friends. Her relatives acted as if she didn’t exist. And now her best friend had basically left her alone when she needed her, when Mikasa knew how much she needed her. She was tired. She was exhausted. Physically, psychologically and emotionally. The door behind her opened.

“Ann? What’s wrong?” And the dejá vù was back. Mina was a living dejá vù. Everything she did reminded Annie fo Pieck. Maybe that’s why she had fallen so far for Mina. She turned around and looked at Mina, deciding to be brave for once.

“Nothing’s wrong… Except that I love you in a romantic way and I don’t know if this is mutual.” She said as she placed one hand over her chest, trying to calm down the fast speed of her heartbeats by inhaling and exhaling deeply. 

“Oh Ann… Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Mina said as she covered her mouth with both of her hands. “I do love you as well… Since the day you arrived here.” She confessed. Mina removed the hands of her mouth and kissed  Annie with love and passion once she was close enough to her.

“Suck it, Ackerman.” Annie thought as she let herself loose in that kiss. She was loved and that was what mattered right then and there.

 

* * *

 

The relationship with Mina was even more adorable than what Annie could have imagined. She was so cute and attentive that Annie’s heart flattered whenever Mina took care of her or complimented how she looked. As it was obvious, they both had to hide their relationship in front of Annie’s father, but it didn’t matter since they both were happy with each other.

Or at least they were until Mina decided to break the relationship up. 

That day Annie’s fatigue was unbearable, and she was feeling quite sick, so the news stroke even harder. 

“Annie… I’m sorry.” She had said. Her whole world was shaking once more, just like when Pieck was confessing her department, she felt lost. But that time, against all odds, Annie ahd someone who had her back covered.

“You’re not.”  Mikasa stepped between the two of them, looking at the shorter raven with rage. After the small argument that Mikasa and Annie had, their friendship became even stronger after Mikasa apologised to Annie. The blonde hugged Mikasa and cried until there were no more tears she could cry. The raven girl was so happy that she got Annie back after a month of not having any contact with her, so she decided to lower herself and accept defeat temporarily.

“What makes you say so?” Mina said as she stared at Mikasa. Annie was hugging Mikasa from behind, as if her life depended on it, so she couldn’t see what Mina’s face looked like in that precise moment. But Mikasa knew. Mikasa could see. Behind the sad and innocent voice, a wolf in sheep’s clothing began to reveal itself. 

“Oh, I don’t know… Maybe because I’ve seen how you made out with Thomas several times while you were flirting with Annie? And maybe because I heard how you moaned his name back at Jean’s birthday party? That one in which we all, except you, Thomas and me, got drunk.” The information hit Annie hard. So hard that she heard her own heart tearing into two.

“Hmph… It was fun while it lasted.” Mina said as she turned around and walked away. What had been her motive? Three thousand dollars. That was it. Money. She chose money over a person’s feeling.

“Kasa… I’m sorry… I’m sorry for have doubted you when you warned about this.” Annie said as she hugged her slightly harder. 

As time passed, they discovered that little good Mina was way too involved in the drug world and that her kindness was in order to get people to give her money so she could pay her debts and get new drugs. It was sad, specially when Annie’s heart still beat loud and clear when the raven was at sight.

 

* * *

 

Annie was at the hospital, drugged, high on the dose that the doctors had gave her so that they could make her sleep while they were making an examination. She looked at her left and saw Mina, who was holding her hand. Annie smiled. They had gotten back together after she had apologised in the middle of tears and sobs. The doctor came in.

“Miss Leonhart suffers from a quite uncommon illness called ‘Shifter Lament’. I’m sorry, but she doesn’t have more than eight years of life.” The doctor said. Annie looked at him and laughed, half between because of the drugs and half because she couldn’t believe what she had heard.

“What? How?” Mina asked at the same time she got up and looked at the man.

“We believe that Miss Leonhart has had this illness since the day she was born but it has remained passive until the near present. We don’t know why  it has become active now, but with the medication we will give her she will be able to survive those eight years.” The doctor said as he looked at Annie with a sad look on his face. He couldn’t do anything even if he wanted to. “I’m sorry.” He said before leaving the room.

Mina turned around and looked at Annie. 

“I didn’t break up with Thomas for this… Screw this…” She muttered at the same time she gathered her stuff and left the room. 

Annie was left there, brokenhearted once more at the sweet age of nineteen.


	3. Mikasa

Two years had passed since Annie was diagnosed with the Shifter Lament. Two years since the events regarding Mina had occured. When Mikasa made a more precise investigation about Mina, because she was enraged with her because of the way she had treated Annie, she found out that she couldn’t blame her as much as she had been doing before.

The rumours about Mina being too deep in the drug world were fake. The one who was inside that shit was Thomas but Mina just didn’t want to get herself involved in that. She needed the money of the bet to pay a surgery her father needed, but apparently Thomas was a very manipulative person and forced her to act in the way she did. Mikasa couldn’t believe it at first, but when Mina asked her to go to her home with her, she saw everything she needed to verify her new information as true. 

Mina’s father was getting better from the heart surgery but he could still not wake up from bed. When Mikasa was looking for the bathroom, she heard a conversation between Mina and her father. He was begging her to break up with Thomas since he wasn’t good for nor to her and Mina was crying and saying that she would love to but Thomas had her threatened because the drugs had made him go mad.

“Hey, Mikasa… I am sorry. I truly am.” Mina once said between sobs. Mikasa knew that her words were true after what she had heard. 

“Break up with him… If you need help just call me… But don’t come closer to Annie.” Mikasa said in a calmed voice. Mina swallowed slowly but nodded nonetheless. She had hurt Annie way too much so it was only fair that she should be away from her until she said otherwise.

“I was happy with her… She was so sweet, so attentive, so loving and so caring… I started believing that she was a fallen goddess. It was hard to play with her, you know? In the end, I didn’t want to treat her in the way I did…” Mina confessed as she looked at her sleeping father with a warm smile.

“Then why?” Mikasa deadpanned, looking at Mina with sympathy. Mikasa agreed with everything she had said about Annie. She was indeed sweet, caring and loving. But she was interesting, funny, and special as well. She was a goddess, and no one could say otherwise.

“As you know, my father needed a heart surgery… When he became sick, he couldn’t go to work anymore and since my mother died when I was three, we started running low on money. During the summer break, before Annie came to our school, Thomas offered me money if I did whatever he told me… And one of those tasks was make the new student fall in love with me and then crush their heart once we were already dating. Throughout the months he has given me one thousand dollars, but the reward for breaking Annie’s heart was three thousand dollars, and I couldn’t just turn them down... I was reluctant at first, and even more when I saw how sweet Annie was and how broken she is… But my father got worse so I needed the money. Thomas’ addiction grew as well, and he became more aggressive and more manipulative, but I couldn’t say no to him since he needed me as well… I fucked up a lot…” Mikasa’s expression softened as Mina talked. She even hugged the shorter raven so as to comfort her.

“Stay safe, Mina.” Mikasa said as she remembered what happened when a person was way too deep in drugs. Memories of Grisha Jaeger shooting his wife came back to her head, but she shook them away. She had to be strong. 

“Make Annie happy. Don’t be an asshole like I was.” Mina said as she hugged back Mikasa, tears staining her rosy cheeks. 

Of course she would make Annie happy. That’s what she deserved after all.

 

* * *

 

Mikasa walked quickly towards the Leonhart manor, staring at her phone from time to time. She felt adrenalin running through her veins whenever she looked at it and saw no notification.

 

**_→ Lionhart:_** Kasa, I need you to come to my house ASAP.   (1:22 am)

_**→ Ackerwoman:** _ Why?   (1:23 am)

_**→ Lionhart:**_ My father’s drunk again and I think he’s gonna… Y'know… Just come here, please.  (1:25 am)

_**→ Ackerwoman:**_ I am on my way there.   (1:25 am)

_**→ Lionh** **art:**_ he’s trying to get into my room.  (1:30 am)

_**→ Ackerwoman:** _ Call the police! (1:30 am)

**_→ Ackerwoman:_ ** Annie? (1:37 am)

 

When she saw the house, she started sprinting. She didn’t give a single damn if the traffic lights were in red for the pedestrians or if there were cars in the road, she kept running and running until she was in the backyard of the house. 

Mikasa took her key-ring and starting looking for the key that could open the sliding door that would lead her to the living room. Her fingers shake violently but she ended up finding the one. Her pulse was rather bad so she couldn’t put the key in the hole until she had made three attempts. Once she was inside, silence embraced her.

She carefully walked until she reached the stairs to the upper floor, but when one of them cracked when she placed her foot there, she cursed. Fortunately, no one heard her. When she was about to find Annie’s room, she heard footsteps coming her way so she hid behind a wall and waited for them to go away. She saw Edward Leonhart walking dizzily, drunk, and with difficulty throughout the corridor until he entered a room, probably his. Once that the danger was gone, Mikasa continued walking.

When she was in front of the door, she entered as quickly as she could and she closed it carefully. Inside, she saw Annie’s beaten figure in the floor.

“Annie.” She murmured as she walked towards the blonde. Annie looked at her and smiled. “What has happened?” She asked as she helped Annie to stand up.

“Oh, nothing new… He was furious because my treatment costs a lot… Because I can’t participate in martial arts competitions and earn money… The normal stuff.” She said as she grimaced in pain. Mikasa sat Annie on her bed and looked around the room.

“That’s it… From now on you’re going to live with me.” She declared as she took some empty bags that Annie kept below her bed. Annie’s eyes widened.

“No I’m not… I don’t want to be a nuisance.” She said in a pained voice. Annie was tired, not only because she was sick and she didn’t take her pills, but also because was a living problem. Mikasa got closer.

“Look at me.” She said with a firm voice that made Annie look at her almost immediately. Blue eyes found black ones. Annie didn’t know why she kept falling for hypnotizing black eyes, smooth pale skin and raven hair, but she just did even if she should stop doing so. First Pieck, then Mina and now she was finding her best friend extremely appealing, besides, Annie noticed how her lips seemed softer and more inviting as days passed as well. “You are going to live with me… I don’t want you to stay here any longer.” Mikasa’s word were as a ray of light piercing through the dense darkness that was her sadness.

“Whatever… Just don’t complain later.” She murmured, looking away from those calming eyes. It was rather obvious that she had developed a self-conscious persona that would always appear whenever her shy side was showing itself. It was normal though, and Mikasa understood it. 

“I won’t. What matters is to keep you safe… And that you take your pills.” Mikasa whispered as she booped Annie’s nose with hers, making Annie blush. Mikasa separated from her and began to collect Annie’s belongings and to keep them in the bags. When Annie stood up to help, Mikasa shot a deadly glare at her. “Sit. Down.” She mumbled. Annie immediately did as she was told.

“I can help, ya know?” Annie said at the same time she crossed her arms over her chest. Mikasa looked at her and nodded.

“I know you can, but your father has just beaten you up and you have a deadly illness that’s eating you alive, so you should save energy. Besides, shall I remind you that my house is twenty minutes away?” And with that, Mikasa had won a debate that hadn’t even started yet.

* * *

 

When Annie was 23, she left the university even if Mikasa had insisted to the Moon and back on not giving up her studies. Annie always said that why should she waste money on studies if she was going to die a few years afterwards? Annie was right after all, and Mikasa couldn’t counter her argument even if she wanted.

One day, Mikasa locked herself inside her room so she could study and prepare for her following tests, and that worried Annie quite a lot. Whenever she tried to come in and give Mikasa her food, the raven would tell her that she was okay. Annie called it bullshit. That wasn’t the first nor the last day that she did so. 

The last time she locked herself inside her room, was a night that both Mikasa and Annie would never forget. Annie had entered the room without any permission, pretty enraged by Mikasa’s behaviour, and she had scolded her for an hour until Mikasa had made a move.

“I just can’t fucking believe that you make me take my pills and then you won’t eat or get out when you lock yourself in here even if I ask you to do so… Why the fuck do you act like- Mmph.” Every single ounce of the desire of lecturing Mikasa faded away when the raven’s soft lips collided with hers. What a marvellous sensation it was. After a few seconds, Mikasa separated from her.

“Do you want to know why? Because it’s more and more difficult to not kiss you like I’ve just done whenever I see you… I don’t need to fucking lock myself up to study since I already have everything prepared for my tests… I just don’t want to hurt you or make you feel as if you were being toyed with.” While Mikasa was talking, she had placed her hands carefully on Annie’s cheeks, rubbing her thumbs against the soft skin there.

That time, it was Annie the one who captured Mikasa’s lips carefully, softly, slowly… It was a slow dance in which Mikasa soon began to direct both of their lips in a flawless rhythm that they both found mesmerizing.

“Can’t you see that this is what I want? I don’t want to be only your best friend… When I saw how Jean looked at you and tried to flirt with you, it made me boil with anger. I want to be your girlfriend, that’s the sole truth.” Annie said between kisses, making her way to Mikasa’s lap as she ran her hands through the raven hair.

“Are you sure?” Mikasa asked as half of her reason came back to her. She really didn’t want to take advantage of Annie somehow, so she wanted to make sure that she was doing something that they both wanted.

“Yes.” She replied almost at the same time Mikasa had finished saying her question. “I want this… I want you. I don’t know when this feelings began but they long for you loud and clear…” Annie said as she brought one of Mikasa’s hands towards her chest, over her heart. “Make me yours.” She whispered before kissing Mikasa once more. That caused the awakening of something within Mikasa, something even more powerful than what she normally felt for Annie. Desire. 

“I’ll make you feel like the queen you are.” She mumbled against Annie’s lips as she took her to her bed and left there with care. She positioned herself over Annie and kissed her lips and neck so as to see the shy blush that made its way to Annie’s cheeks. “Relax… It’s just you and me.” Mikasa slowly whispered as she caressed Annie’s sides.

 

* * *

 

A few days later, Annie went to the University to pick Mikasa up. What she wasn’t expecting was to see Mina there, accompanied by Sasha and her girlfriend. Annie blinked a few times as she stared at Mina, who noticed the blonde’s presence and stopped dead on her tracks. Annie silently walked towards her, hands inside her hoodie pocket, gaze fixed on the raven.

Mina thought that Annie was going to punch or slap her, but when she felt those slim arms around her waist, embracing her warmly, she opened her eyes and accepted the hug in a matter of seconds. 

“Mikasa told me about Thomas and your father.” Annie whispered after a few minutes of embracing her ex girlfriend. When she separated from her, she looked at her in detail. Her hair was longer and let loose, and she had picked a new clothing style which consisted on a white shirt, a brown leather jacket, white jeans and black boots. She looked nice.

“I’m so sorry… I shouldn’t have treated you in the way I did.” Mina whispered while she cleaned the tears that escaped from her eyes. Sasha came closer to her and hugged her, what made Mina smile. “I broke up with Thomas… And I started dating Sasha two months ago.” She quietly admitted, a furious blush covering her face from ear to ear.

“Wow Potato Girl… I thought you were going out with Connie.” Annie teased with a playful smirk. She still cherished those high school days in which Sasha and Connie were the only straight people in their group of friends. Who knew that little innocent Sasha would end up dating someone of her same sex? Annie found herself owing Ymir and Krista twenty bucks.

“Let’s say that we worked better as friends.” Sasha said as she scratched one of her temples. “It’s lonely without you Annie.” She admitted as she looked at the blonde with an honest smile.

“Why? Because you don’t get free food now?” Annie teased, earning an elbow in her left side thanks to Mikasa. It was true though, Annie was the one who would buy Sasha food back when they were in high school and the brunette didn’t have any money.

“Well, yes… But that’s not the main reason. The group is not completed if you are not here with us.” Sasha said with a sad look on her face. Like it or not, the group was never going to be complete if that was the case.

“Ahem.” Mina subtly coughed so as to gain the attention of the other three girls. “Anyways… I believe that you two own Ymir and Krista twenty bucks.” Mina said as she looked at Mikasa and Annie.

“Are those two still together?” Annie asked Mikasa while she scratched her nape, remembering another bet she had made with Ymir. When Mikasa nodded, she sighed. “Good, I don’t own her shit.” She said as she smiled. Mikasa rolled her eyes yet she reached out her hand towards Annie, and the blonde held her hand, smiling like a dork in love, which she was, at Mikasa.

“Are you two together?” Sasha asked as she separated from Mina and took one step backwards. She looked ready to start running for whatever reason.

“Yup.” Annie replied as she subtly remembered what had happened. What happens in the room must stay there after all. Sasha smiled and started running.

“YMIR YOU OWE ME ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS!” She screamt as she ran towards the university building. Mina giggled and looked at the couple.

“I’m happy for you two… Now if you excuse me, I’m going to go for my money as well.” And with that, Mina bid them adieu and started running too.

“I think that the 104th class has a problem with bets.” Mikasa said as she brought her red scarf up to her nose, hiding her smile.

“Yourself included too.” And that was true.

 

* * *

 

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine…” Mikasa whispered softly as she rubbed Annie’s deadly pale skin with extreme care. She couldn’t dare to look at the machine that monitored her girlfriend’s heartbeat.

“You make me happy when skies are gray…” Annie continued weakly, like there was no air filling her lungs. She knew that that moment was her last one among the living, but she didn’t want to let down Mikasa after those nine years of happiness and reassurement. 

“You'll never know dear, how much I love you.” The blonde slowly sang, her breath catching between her words in almost every word she said.

Mikasa thought about all that had happened since the moment Annie appeared in her life. She thought about how the shy, beautiful blonde had made her world turn upside down. She thought about the pain of having an unrequited love back when Annie was heels over head for Mina. She thought about the endless nights were Annie would be crying in her arms after her father had beat her as much as he could. She thought about their first kiss. Their first time together. The first I love you. The first moment in which they were jealous of other people that would come closer and try to flirt with the other even if the other was right there,. She thought about everything that Annie had made to bring her happiness. She thought about her girlfriend. 

“Please don't take my sunshine away…” Mikasa mumbled as she heard the monotone sound of the machine, the sound that announced the finale of Annie’s heartbeats. Annie’s heart no longer beat for her nor for anyone else. 

Mikasa allowed herself to cry. She was angry. Angry with herself because she hadn’t been able to find the cure before Annie got worse and worse until the moment she was facing right then and there. Angry with herself because the day that Annie’s muscles decided to start giving up, she couldn’t do nothing else besides giving moral support.

“I love you… Sunshine.” Mikasa said between sobs as she saw Annie’s resting face. She was finally at peace, but her peace hurt Mikasa since she could no longer be with her.

 

* * *

 

After some weeks of Annie’s death, someone began to knock on the door of her house. Mikasa reluctantly got up, looking at her left side out of habit and seeing the empty space that Annie had left behind. When she reached the door and opened it, she saw a beautiful, short, raven woman looking at her phone and then at the number of the building.

“G-good night miss… Does Annie Leonhart live here? I am an old friend of her.” The woman asked with a certain deutch accent. Mikasa couldn’t believe it. Was she dreaming?

“She did live here… Are you, perhaps, Pieck?” Mikasa asked back. Mikasa swallowed the bile that had made its way to her throat. 

“Indeed... “ She replied with surprise. “Do you know where Annie is? You said she lived here after all…” Mikasa ran a hand through her hair. How was she supposed to tell Pieck that Annie was dead?

“I am afraid that she is not among the living anymore…” Pieck’s eyes widened and her phone fell to the ground when her hand went limp. “She died from a deadly illness two weeks ago… I’m sorry, Pieck.” The other woman looked at her with teary eyes, and Mikasa pointed inside her house as she moved away, indicating that she could go in. Pieck lowered herself and took her phone, then walked into the house. It had Annie’s fragrance lingering in the air.

“Who are you?” Pieck asked once she was more calmed down yet at the edge of tearing apart once more.

“Mikasa Ackerman… I was Annie’s girlfriend before she died…” Mikasa said at the same time she brought some tea to the living room. She sat down next to Pieck and smiled sympathetically. “She loved and missed you a lot… Annie spent entire days talking about you. I am glad you never forget about her.” Mikasa whispered as she fought back tears that were already falling from her eyes.

“I would never forget her… She is the only one I’ve ever loved… But I am glad that you could make her happy while I wasn’t here.” Pieck muttered as she finally broke down, crying like she had back when she was fifteen and about leave Annie behind. She was back way too late.

 


End file.
